It is that time of year where we crave the creepy, scary and gooey. Halloween is always a favorite season because people get to dress up as their favorite movie, cartoon or anime. One could say that they come to life. Dressing up and becoming your favorite character is always fun, but it becomes offensive when we somehow make a whole culture frightening.  

You can always dress up as your dream job, or even a job you would absolutely not want to have. The typical career costumes are nurse, nun, doctor, pilot and firefighter. These costumes are also very cheap and easily accessible. Other very easy-to-get costumes are superhero costumes. Marvel fan? You have a vast selection to choose from. There is always a Thor costume, which you might not even have to purchase. All you would really need is a red cape with a black outfit made from your free bed sheets.  

You can always dress as a pair of something, such as salt and pepper, which always works best for couples. Disney character costumes are always going to be seen during this time, and there is a vast number of characters to choose from. You can always create your own original costume. Sometimes you do not even need a whole costume, just a few accessories or some make up. You can do all sorts of things with makeup. You can wear an ordinary outfit, but put on zombie makeup which would be a very creative idea indeed.  

Here are some other ideas: 

If you have even a small ounce of worry or uncertainty about the costume you plan to wear offending a culture, then please, do not bother wearing it, or ask a friend who has knowledge about that certain culture. Wearing a culture’s attire for Halloween is not only cultural appropriation, but you are demeaning it because you are inherently suggesting that this culture is scary or frightening. You might not have that intention and simply want to appreciate a culture, which is perfectly fine. However, if you do not understand what significance certain tattoos, hairstyles or dresses mean to a culture then do not demean it by making it a Halloween costume.  

Asking the people around you or your friends is always helpful because they always know something you probably did not and would be more than willing to help you understand what cultural appropriation is and how to avoid it. It is hard to track every costume and deem it as culturally appropriating, because all of us have appropriated a culture’s way of speaking, dressing, eating or even dancing. It is simply because we are unaware of the culture and its significance, but it is never too late to realize it.  

Halloween should be a time you have fun with your friends and get creative with costumes and become someone or something else for the night. You will have a chance to showcase your costumes for the Halloween party on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 in the Underground and bring your creative side to life.